VOLUNTEERS helped to extend the Maidenhills Nature Reserve and threw a party as part of a day-long event in Middlewich.

About 60 staff from Barclays Bank went to Middlewich's Salinae Centre to organise a coffee morning for elderly users before clearing and planting a stretch of the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath.

Middlewich Vision's Stephen Dent, who helped to organise the latter, said: 'They planted bulbs along the stretch paid for by Barclays and Middlewich Clean Team, and it was all part of our drive to create a nature park along the canal at Maidenhills.'

The £20,000 project will be developed alongside the locks between Andersen Boats and Middlewich Narrowboats and will feature a wildflower meadow, wooded area and bog for more unusual insects.

The Barclays team's efforts helped to get the project under way as volunteers cleared trees and under-growth along the canal behind Brooks Lane.

Stephen added: 'They worked really hard over the two days and cleared and planted a lot. It should look great in the springtime.

'They also cleared a path behind the old Smithy on Brooks Lane. It had been a 1ft-wide gravel path but, thanks to their work, it is now 3ft wide, with paving stones and edging.'